97 Z Rebuild

[Dhayes]

OK well now that the tear down is done and problems have been found its time to get my new favorite back on the road and to the track!

Here's what I already have to work with.

New shortblock with 15k ish on it.
Pace setter long tube race headers.
Refurbished 643 heads with 15k ish and upgraded springs.
Comp extreme energy 276HR-12 cam, 226/230 @ .50.
Trick flow push rods.
Cold air intake.

Plans for the rest.

New opti. (Current one broken)
new clutch. (Worn out)
Mild port and polish heads and intake. (By me)
Tune with egr and rear o2 delete. (Mail order)
Maybe throttle body and injectors (haven't decided)
Go juice?!? (???)

With my second son due in febuary its a budget build right now and will be slow going at the moment but I love this car and want to fix it Instead of selling it off because I have wanted one for a long time. Plus I'm itching to get back on the track.

Just got it down to the block, scuffed the cylinders up cleaned and torqued everything.

Waiting on a gasket kit now and will be reassembling soon I hope.




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[popo8]

Update this with lotsa pics....

[Dhayes]

Dark I know but bottom end is ready just have to clean up the outside a bit and spray some paint on her.

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[Dhayes]

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[95ImpySS]

Looking good, looking good. Did you use a plastigauge on the main bearings? What connecting rod bolts are in the rods?

[Dhayes]

Looking good, looking good. Did you use a plastigauge on the main bearings? What connecting rod bolts are in the rods?

I didn't remove the crank or rods since its a fairly new bottom end. Just double checked torque and cleaned the carbon ring off. Rod bolts are ARP and from what I looked up its an eagle forged crank. STD OE pistons and rods.

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[Dhayes]

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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/06/u3utuja4.jpg

Threw some paint on her, looks all fast sitting there lol.

Gotta get some head and intake gaskets then try to find some green for a clutch and flywheel. That's gonna hurt. Anyone have experience with the eBay brand clutchs? Kupp, f1, etc. Found their stage 4, 6 puck with alum flywheel for like $450 shipped.

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[Dhayes]

Anyone have experience with these eBay/ off brand clutches?

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[Dhayes]

Engine is together minus opti and water pump. Now to get some money together for a new opti and clutch then it can go back in!

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[popo8]

Lookin good... Ur pretty fast.

All that orange reminds me an old school sbc...


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[95ImpySS]

Looking good :)

Many friends have had good luck with SPEC brand clutches.

[Dhayes]

Lookin good... Ur pretty fast.

All that orange reminds me an old school sbc...


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

Thanks, yea I like the orange, the engine bay will be all flat black along with anything I don't want to stand out so hopefully it pops a little.

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[Dhayes]

Looking good :)

Many friends have had good luck with SPEC brand clutches.

Thanks, ill have to look and see what I can afford. Clutches are spendy lol. And I need a flywheel too which looks almost as much as the clutch kit lol. That should be my last big mechanical expenses though. Untill I get to the rear end....

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[popo8]

Thanks, yea I like the orange, the engine bay will be all flat black along with anything I don't want to stand out so hopefully it pops a little.

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I like a flat black motor compartment....
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Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

I like a flat black motor compartment....
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Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

That looks great. Definitely makes it stand out a little more.

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[95ImpySS]

I prefer gloss black engine bays but that's just me ;)

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00464.jpg

Do you have the stock flywheel? You can have them resurfaced for under $50.

[Dhayes]

I prefer gloss black engine bays but that's just me ;)

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00464.jpg

Do you have the stock flywheel? You can have them resurfaced for under $50.

I totally agree with you that looks amazing! Unfortunately my time and budget won't allow me to do that right now so flat black rattle can will be the next best thing lol..

My flywheel looks like its the ram billit one and its down to the screws.

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[thunderkyss]

I like a flat black motor compartment....
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Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

I like what you did with the plug wires. Did you just buy the long wires & cut them to length?

[Fastbird]

I never thought about routing the MFY looms up like that. Nice job Larry.......that's very sharp!

[popo8]

I never thought about routing the MFY looms up like that. Nice job Larry.......that's very sharp!

Thanks man... That means alot... Its dirty...but im proud of it...


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

Do you guys think a new stock clutch would hold up to bolt ons only car without toasting it at the track? Exhaust intake cam tune etc...

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[Fastbird]

I see cam listed. I wouldn't chance it.

Posted from my Rooted and ICS'd Rezound

[Dhayes]

Yea, pacesetter long tubes no cats comp extreme energy cam 224/230 @.50 trick flow stock length push rods cold air intake mail order tune and maybe 58mm tb and injectors later on. Too much for stock clutch? I would love to get a better one but don't have the extra $400 on top of the $400 it already is for a stock set and flywheel. It won't see but occasional strip time and only has to last untill taxes come in. If its just going to roast it though there's no point in waisting the $.

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[Dhayes]

Update! Sold the car reluctantly. But to my little brother deployed in afgan right now. Got screwed by finance company from when my titan burnt up and have to pay them a couple grand. On the good side though I get to finish the car and everything for him and drive it untill he gets back. Ordered a bunch if parts yesterday.

Bosch 36# injectors
58mm tb
New opti
Egr plates
Stage 3 clutch
Poly motor mounts
New stock trans mount
Various sensors
Sending the computer out Monday for the tune
New steam tube banjo bolts and seals
Some other small things I'm forgetting

All parts should be here in the next week and a half and will be buttoned up and on the road in a month or less. Im bummed but excited. Ill get another one soon I hope.

Got the engine bay all cleaned up and the firewall painted black. Also finished up fixing all the issues in the wiring harness. Now just waiting for parts to start coming in.



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[Dhayes]

Got the injectors and opti in today. Installed them and made up some over the valve cover wires.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/21/uhynygen.jpg
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[Dhayes]

Just shipped the computer out to PCMforless. 4 days shipping each way Should have it back in 8 or 9 business days.

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[popo8]

Just shipped the computer out to PCMforless. 4 days shipping each way Should have it back in 8 or 9 business days.

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Are you getting excited.....?

[Dhayes]

Are you getting excited.....?

Extremely. Just sucks I can't keep it. But I get to finish it and drive it for awhile. And it will only be about 4 hours away after March where after my little brother guaranteed visiting rights lol.

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[Dhayes]

Came home to my clutch and egr plates.
Now just waiting for the steam pipe banjo bolts and energy mounts and engine/trans is going back in...

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[Dhayes]

Well everything is here except the throttle body. Cleaned up the trans water pump and acc bracket and painted them black. Going to mate the engine and trans tonight and get the new poly mounts in the shells maybe get it set in there. Have to pick up some new bell housing and clutch bolts on the way home.

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[Dhayes]

Freaking Napa gave me the wrong g flywheel so I can't do anything else now. Cleared the whole weekend to get this back together and the right one is at least 3 business days out. Fn Napa. Guess that's what I get for not matching it up right away...

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[popo8]

Freaking Napa gave me the wrong g flywheel so I can't do anything else now. Cleared the whole weekend to get this back together and the right one is at least 3 business days out. Fn Napa. Guess that's what I get for not matching it up right away...

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Someone was on here selling a chromoly one or something fancy... if your interested.

[Dhayes]

Almost all back together!

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[popo8]

Awesome!!!


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

OK so its all back together. Ready to fire. Too late to actually fire it up (9pm and open headers, neighbor's won't be happy) so I turned it over with opti and injectors disconnected for s&g's and its very slow turning over and battery wires got fairly hot and battery had a good charge. Does this sound like a ground issue or too much strain on the starter like something is binding?

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[CamaroZGuy]

you have a very red motor!

i would check all your connections, make sure there all solid. and try turning it over by hand, see if you can feel any thing more then just the compression build up.

[Dhayes]

Just checked grounds. Have one big one at the passenger motor mount to battery. One from battery to body. Ont from coil mount to body. Missing any? Connections seem good. It seems to turn normally with a socket on the crank.

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[Dhayes]

I know lol the pics look red but its actually Chevy orange.

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[Dhayes]

Was a ground issue. I ran and extra thick ground to the starter and its much better now. Can't wait to start it tomorrow. Everything is done ready to go.....

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[popo8]

Well???

Its time....


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

Lol I know I'm dieing here at work. Only 8 more hours...

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[popo8]

Hahahahahaha... Makes u rethink starting it last night.lol


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

Lol yes it does... I almost took the day off of work to play with the car too. I don't know why but everytime I go to start a project for the first time I always get all nervous and like it's my first time. Everything starts racing through your mind. Did I check this, did I do that, is this right etc. even though you know you did. Soon shall be the moment of truth lol...

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[Featherburner]

Why is it that cam break-in or first fire of a new engine always happens at 1:00am? Maybe it's just me!:shrug:

[Dhayes]

Time flies when you're having fun... lol every time I go and work on the car after work at 5 I look down and it's midnight or 1am and you're like shit where did the time go feels like 10pm. Then the wife says "I thought you said u werent going to be out there all night" or "you said it was only going to take an hour, 3 hours ago"

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[CamaroZGuy]

i dont like my neighbor's, so if my car is ready for first fire at 1am.....it getting started at 1am... :D

[Badbird_96]

I hear that all the time. Why does a 30 minute project always turns into 7 hours? Oh and on first start I can't ever remember starting a new motor except in the middle of the night. Get the carb and timing dialed in then go to bed lmao.

[Dhayes]

Lol thats funny. I just moved into this house so I'm not sure how much the neighbors will take yet. Still testing the waters.

I think it's because while the project you went to do may only take 30 minutes you notice something else and so on and so on... at least that's what happens to me... lol

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[Badbird_96]

Or you have to remove everything to get to the 30 min project lmao

[Dhayes]

Lol pre project work

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[Dhayes]

Only 3.5 more hours...

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[Dhayes]

IT LIVES!!!! AND HOLY SHIT IS ALL I CAN SAY!

Do have a few bugs to work out. Doesn't like to idle at all so maybe the IAC. One of the steam rube seals leaks. And when I fully depress the clutch is rubbing on something.

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[CamaroZGuy]

WHERE IS THE VIDEO!

[popo8]

Congrats man....lets get those bugs worked out... and get her on the road!

[Dhayes]

First video... had my son in my lap and its dark but u can hear it good


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9fbSzqYM_A&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Second outside the car is uploading

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[Dhayes]

Here's the second video. Sucks it cut off half of it, stupid phone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMmzKono1No&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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[popo8]

WOOHOO!!!

[CamaroZGuy]

ok, im happy now.... :D

[Dhayes]

So anyone have idea about the clutch. Everything I have read points to throw out bearing. But here's the deal. Clutch is full disengaged by 75% pedal. At 90% pedal the safety switch is activated and I can start it and does not grind. If I depress it to 95%+ pedal it grinds. So I was thinking to somehow adjust or make the pedal stop at the point it just hits the switch.

Also another issue I forgot to add is the temp gauge got real high real quick but the block/head were not really hot to the touch. Fans never kicked on either. Bad new sensor? I don't know if the fan relay circuit works or not it was all hacked up and I just fixed it back to normal instead of always on like it was.

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[Dhayes]

Better video of it running. Replaced the bad temp sensor and IAC and its much better now.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rwEFNbgW1A&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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[popo8]

NICE MAN!!


NICE!!!!!

[Dhayes]

Thanks. Just have to figure out why It wants to idle really high when I drive it. When I first start it up it idles normally but when driving it idles really high like 3k sometimes. The throttle is kind of sticking so I'm going to ad a spring and see if that helps. Its like the tb sticks slightly open while running after it opens won't close all the way on it's own.

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[popo8]

May just be as simple as tuning your idle..

when it sticks high.. are you able to manually drop it to close the TB... or is it closed and just "acts like that?"

[Dhayes]

Yes I can close it manually and it idles normally again. Its like the spring on the tb doesn't have quite enough tension.

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[popo8]

Yes I can close it manually and it idles normally again. Its like the spring on the tb doesn't have quite enough tension.

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I had the same issue on my as&m momoblade...the last tuner fixed it for me.... But i know fast bird had the same issue...does it feel like the piece on the side that the throttle cable attaches to spins on the shaft a lil?

Or is it just binding on return?


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

Just catching on return right before closing completely. Not spining on the shaft at all.

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[popo8]

Just catching on return right before closing completely. Not spining on the shaft at all.

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Shit...lub it the springs and the blades up and work it in and see if that helps....


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

[Dhayes]

I will have to try that tomorrow

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[Project96]

Nice job!! I remember when I got mine ready to fire up. It was 12:30a. With open headers, I drove it around the block at 1a. I have a sheriffs deputy that lives right across the street from me too. I know alot of my neighbors, & they knew it was coming. So it was ok. I did a small burn out in road the next day.

[Dhayes]

Fixed my throttle problem today. Added a couple return springs. Works fantastic now.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/12/11/e6egynat.jpg


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